The present invention relates to coin operated vending and game machines and, more particularly, to protective circuitry which will prevent abuse of such machines. Coin operated, electrically powered machines are widely used for dispensing cigarettes, candy, soft drinks, pastry, etc. Game machines, such as pinball machines, are also generally coin operated and electrically powered. Such machines permit products and entertainment to be available to consumers at a variety of locations without the need for the continued presence of sales personnel.
Automatic vending and game machines are relatively expensive and, since they are left unattended, it is important to protect them from abuse by those who use them. If a machine should not operate to the satisfaction of the customer, it is not uncommon for the machine to be struck by the customer. Additionally, customers may believe that they can cause the machine to operate, without the insertion of coins into the coin slot, by sharply striking the machine near the coin receptive apparatus. Also, some types of vending and game machines may be actuated fraudulently by disconnecting and then rapidly reconnecting the electrical power to the machines. This may be accomplished by pulling the machine power plug from its outlet and then quickly reinserting it. While no damage is done to the machine by such a process, the machine owner will be defrauded and may suffer sizeable losses.
Several attempts have been made to discourage customers from striking machines in order to attempt to obtain free games or merchandise. U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,531 issued July 7, 1959, to Hebel shows an impact disconnect assembly in which the impact of a blow to the machine will cause the machine to be temporarily disabled. U.S. Pat. No. 3,482,110, issued Dec. 2, 1969, to Robinson shows a similar circuit arrangement. U.S. Pat. No. 2,178,276, to Breither, issued Oct. 31, 1939, shows an anti-theft device which senses a sharp blow to the coin slide and sounds an alarm in response to such abuse. U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,504 issued Sept. 10, 1974, to Hemming et al, shows an anti-fraud device for pay telephones in which a mechanical linkage arrangement is provided to prevent the telephone from being fraudulently actuated by striking the coin release button.
Although circuitry preventing operation after a power interruption has been used with machines such as compressors, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,254, issued Aug. 21, 1962, to Blackett, no solution has been developed in response to the problem of fraudulent vending machine actuation by power interruption.
Thus a need exists for a device for protecting coin operated, electrically powered machines from various forms of abuse and for signalling when such abuse occurs.